The smartphone, which is opened in two parts, like a book, is being marketed and has been known for several years, for example, the model with the keyboard in a part and the display in the other one, or the foldable model with two screens that form a single large display. There are also several inventions for an openable smartphone with internal accommodation spaces. Of course, due to the nature of the smartphone, the internal compartments are indispensable for housing the battery and all other electronic elements that allow it to work properly. The European Patent No. EP2342889 with priority to International Application No. PCT/EP2008/065015 by Iris Papenmeier, titled “mobile telephone housing structure having a receptacle”, describes a mobile telephone with a receptacle, in which an object not required for the proper use of the mobile telephone can be received.
The receptacle is described to accommodate every type of small object but then gives much importance to the description of a receptacle able to store medicine for healthcare. The invention describes a dynamic receptacle that can slide from inside the smartphone to the outside, on the lower right side, but it also can slide to the external bottom side of the smartphone. The dynamic receptacle can slide out of the smartphone in a straight way, but it can also rotate to the bottom or open in a tilting way. Furthermore, the receptacle can also be static inside the smartphone. In this case, it may be free at the top, or it may have a sliding protective cover. It can be large for the entire length of the smartphone or can be small in the bottom.
When the receptacle is static inside the smartphone, access can only be gained by opening the smartphone. In this case, the smartphone described in EP patent No. EP2342889 can be opened like a book on one side, but it can also be opened by sliding it upwards vertically or by rotating it in a circle with the upper part joined. In addition, described by Iris Papenmeier is also a receptacle in which a key or credit card can be inserted into the smartphone from the outside towards the inside and vice versa when the smartphone is closed. Papenmeier describes a smartphone that opens in very several different ways and describes many types of receptacles, internally to the smartphone, that can be dynamic (when moved from inside to outside) or static (when only inside).
However, a drawback is that all the embodiments disclosed in EP patent No. EP2342889 show a receptacle that is an empty space inside the phone (in the static version) or a sliding empty drawer (in the dynamic version). It is obvious there is a function and, above all, a safety problem. In fact, every type of item that is hosted by the empty receptacle is free to move when the smartphone (close) is used for its own generic functions. In practice, there isn't a structure inside the receptacle that blocks the items internally in a safe way. The same problems are encountered for the German application No. DE112011105343 with Priority to PCT/EP2011/060164 by the same inventor cited above, Iris Papenmeier.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 20050136996 by Robertson, Jr. William H. titled “Housing assembly with biased and removable door” describes an old mobile phone (not a smartphone) with a door with removable to access to the internal compartments. The invention concerns the possibility to access the hardware elements essential for the operation of the phone, such as the battery. The patent does not describe any structure inside the compartment able to host, in a safe way, optional items or different pieces required for the proper use of the phone.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 20070029225 A1 by Chuan KoHong-Da Liu, titled “Portable information device combined with a cosmetic container”, describes a device that comprises a machine and a tray with slots that contain cosmetic products or body care products. Application status is “Abandoned”. Some previous patents, instead, concern a removable custody or external cover secured to a portable electronic device. It follows that many prior patents have suffered from instability of the objects hosted inside the smartphone and, as a consequence, not safely used in the smartphone. Furthermore, the prior patents don't describe the precise structures with internal access, having only the functions of wallet and keychain. There is therefore room for improvement.